orthern position minutely through their glasses, and the chief,
turning presently to Harry, said:

"You have young and strong eyes. Tell me what you can see."

Harry raised the splendid pair of glasses that he had captured in one of
the engagements and took a long, careful look.

"I can see west of the turnpike," he said, "at least four or five
regiments and a battery of eight big guns. I think, too, that there is a
force of cavalry behind them. On the right, sir, I see stone fences and
the windings of the creeks with large masses of infantry posted behind
them."

He spoke modestly, but with confidence.

"Your eyesight agrees with mine," said Jackson. "We outnumber them, but
they have the advantage of the defense. But it shall not avail them."

He spoke to himself rather than to the others, but Harry heard every
word he said, and he already felt the glow of the victory that Jackson
had promised. He now considered it impossible for Jackson to promise in
vain.

The sun was rising on another brilliant morning, and the two armies that
had been fighting all through the dark now stood face to face in full
force in the light. Behind the Northern army was Winchester in all the
throes of anxiety or sanguine hope.

The people had heard two or three days before that Jackson was fighting
his way back toward the north, winning wherever he fought. They had
heard in the night the thunder of his guns coming, always nearer, and
the torrents of fugitives in the dark had told them that the Northern
army was pushed hard. Now in the morning they were looking eagerly
southward, hoping to see Jackson's gray legions driving the enemy before
him. But it was yet scarcely full dawn, and for a while they heard
nothing.

Jackson waited a little and scanned the field again. The morning had now
come in the west as well as in the east, and he saw the strong Northern
artillery posted on both sides of the turnpike, threatening the Southern
advance.

"We must open with the cannon," he said, and he dispatched Harry and
Dalton to order up the guns.

The Southern batteries were pushed forward, and opened with a terrific
crash on their enemy, telling the waiting people in Winchester that the
battle had begun. The infantry and cavalry on either side, eager despite
their immense exertions and loss of rest and lack of food, were held
back by their officers, while the artillery combat went on.

Jackson, anxious to see the result, rode a little fur